The 17.5 km Albertslund Route is the first one to launch. The route runs through a number of municipalities, including Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Albertslund and Rødovre.

They are being called Bicycle Superhighways, but it's worth noting that the routes follow existing, separated bicycle infrastructure. There will be some improvements on certain sections and various facilities will be added.

It has proved to be a logistical challenge getting so many municipalities to work together. Copenhagen is comprised of 550,000 people but the greater metro area is comprised of many different municipalities. Planning routes through them has taken longer than expected, but now the project is finally underway. I shudder at the thought of how many meetings were required and how many litres of crappy, municipal coffee were consumed. But I respect that sacrifice for the cause.

Me and the kids headed out to Albertslund on the local train, using the large bicycle compartments on board. A lot of other people had the same idea.It was a bit crowded, but we all helped make the bicycles fit.

Everyone gathered at the meeting point next to Albertslund Station and after the usual speeches by the usual type of politicians everyone started rolling towards Copenhagen.
This area of Greater Copenhagen is a product of the late 60s and early 70s. Back then planning for bicycles was integrated into the design of the areas. As a result, cycle tracks avoid main streets and there are many overpasses over the cycle infrastructure for cars, allowing safe routes to everywhere in the area.

The superhighways follow these existing routes.
Like this route through a housing development. Lovely, wide streets for bicycles.
Pumps have been placed at intervals along the route, although there are also bike shops in the neighbourhoods along the way.
We stopped at Damhus Lake for the official opening. The entire route was marked with an orange stripe along the side of the cycle tracks and the last bit was painted in front of a media scrum.
Cycle track (at left) and tunnel under a motorway (at right).

There are some interesting projects related to the new routes being planned. Sensors under the cycle tracks that can register if there is a group of cyclists riding together. If so, the lights at the intersections will turn green in order to let them continue freely towards the city.
Railings and footrests - first implemented in Copenhagen - are in place at intersections (at left). The Bicycle Office's cargo bikes were in action carrying juice and oranges for the participants (centre), but many people had their own refreshments - like the all-important beer (at right).
Signage has been updated to reflect the new routes. The Albertslund route is called C99. The C stands for the Danish name for the superhighways - Cykelsuperstier.

It all looks lovely and rosy but there have been challenges. The Danish Road Directorate, like many planners/engineers around the world, were tough to dance with in the preparations. It was a nightmare to get them to grant permission to add the new signage markings to the road signs (above left). The idea of painting an orange strip along the entire route was also a bone of contention. They refused to budge and, as a result, the orange stripe is painted with regular water-based paint that will be gone in a few weeks. (top right)

So much for the Road Directorate assisting in new projects with an open-minded, progressive attitude. They are stuck in their antiquated mindset and stand in the way of innovation and progress. Traffic is merely a rubik's cube that has to be solved and not much more.

If we are to further expand our bicycle culture and infrastructure we need visionaries on board, not pencil pushers.

The bike ride ended at Copenhagen's City Hall, in the gardens. The traditional City Hall Crepes (Rådhuspandekager) were served. Although when we arrived at the head of the pelaton, there were a large group of cyclists already there. A group that had sped off ahead instead of riding with the rest of us. They were all over 55 - and resembed typical members of the Danish Cyclists Federation - and they had consumed most of the crepes 45 minutes before everyone else arrived.

Which was rather regrettable for those of us with children - we'd been hyping up the crepes with chocolate and cream the whole way into town.
My Lulu got chilly after about 15 km so we just wrapped her up in a blanket on the bike. She soon forgot all about the chill when we got to City Hall and enjoyed playing around in a velomobile.

All in all it was a cosy event to celebrate the first bicycle superhighway. The Bicycle Office and Cykelsupersti Secretariat did a great job organising it.

12 comments:

Copenhagen showing the way again and debunking the myth about cycling being feasible only in small cities and city centres. With proper, well designed infrastructure like this even long commutes by bike are not just feasible but desirable! This is an especially important point for those many cities that have pursued a model of of urban sprawl based on the motor car.

checking in from Minneapolis Minnesota USA. We have bicycle infrastructure that is over 100 years old. The city forefathers extended their vision into recent generations to create the only bicycle super highway in America. Alas, this vision does not live up to the field of dreams, "build it and they will come" Recreational biking is still the norm, even in one of the best American cities to ride in. Four season bike riders like myself really enjoy the separated paths. i think there is over 30 miles of paths and growing. On a typical 13 mile commute I use a lake path and an abandoned rail path for over 7 miles. A bike rider can literally go across the city of Minneapolis east to west on a "greenway" The present car centric population regrettably has little awareness of the beauty of these paths.

It's true that you can arrive to work by bike faster than a car. I have tried it against a bus in San Francisco and I beat it by 2 minutes on a Saturday (weekday would have been quicker). I used to see this chiropractor and it takes him 45 minutes to get to work by car. I ride that direction many times and it only takes me 30 minutes.

Copenhagen is a great place and I visited there last year for its amazing infrastructure.

To spice up cycling in Copenhagen you may start playing turf on your smartphone as well. Atm only on android butt iphone version is on the way. It's about taking zones placed all over the city. You get ponts for every take over and can compete against other turfers. http://turfgame.com/

You are of course correct, there is absolutely no comparison with the so-called "superhighways" here in London!

I occasionally cycle in London and not only do we not have the essential green wave, some of the "superhighways" are reduced to a less than useless row of intermittent blue rectangles with a a white painted bicycle. Needless to say that drivers take no notice of them whatsoever.

Kilometres cycled by Copenhageners so far today

Copenhagenize.com is the blog of Copenhagenize Design Company. Online since 2007 and highlighting the cycling life in Copenhagen and around the world.

40 years ago Copenhagen was just as car-clogged as anywhere else but now 41% of the population arriving at work or education do so on bicycles, from all over the Metro area. 55% of Copenhageners themselves use bicycles each day. They all use over 1000 km of bicycle lanes in Greater Copenhagen for their journeys. Copenhagenizing is possible anywhere.